Peace, Justice and the Ultimate Crime

Back in May, I analyzed the French presidential election, in which I pointed out that Emmanuel Macron’s stunning victory had come despite his not having been affiliated with any traditional French party. This, I posited, would be seen by many observers as a weakness, the assumption being that he might not be able to garner the favor of parties that he didn’t represent in Parliament. But I added that, seen from a different perspective, it might actually turn out to be a strength, because he was bringing no inherited political rivalries with him into office. This, I said, was a place where Macron needed to avoid failure, seeking to be the representative of a broad base of French voters and lawmakers who are fed up with the apparent incapacity of the French left and right to put aside their pointless ideological impasse and seek ways to actually serve the wide-ranging interests of the people. And that this, in turn, could provide an example to other countries, such as the United St